Use your customer's language so they can HEAR you

"... all I need is some cigarettes, a little food, and my HBO..."

-Anonymous gentleman on downtown #1 train, NYC

Well you certainly have to respect a guy who knows exactly what he wants. I wish I had his level of clarity...

I heard the above quote on the 2 train this morning during my work commute down to the World Financial Center, and it really slammed home a point that Sam Horn makes in her wonderful book, Pop! The key insight is to use your own customer's language in your marketing communications. Rather than playing around with formal-sounding or hip-sounding terminology, listen to the actual words that come out of your customers' mouths.

What do your customers say or think to themselves when they're in a situation in which they would benefit from your product (or service)? What do they say or think when they're enjoying the benefits of your product? What words do they use to describe the product to their friends?

Why pay an expensive copywriter or worse, try to write the copy yourself when you have thousands or millions of customers doing the writing for you already? And remember, perhaps the easiest way to gain access to the language of your customers is via the web - blogs, discussion boards, etc.

If you want your copy to sound real and resonate with your prospects & customers, what better way to accomplish this than to take the words straight from the horses' mouths?